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Motion rejected in Electoral College suit in Colorado

Motion rejected in Electoral College suit in Colorado

A federal judge has rejected a request for an immediate injunction in lawsuit by two presidential electors in Colorado filed as part of a strategy to block Donald Trump’s election.

The ruling — by Bill Clinton appointee Wiley Daniel — delivers a crushing blow to the Hamilton Electors, a group of Electoral College members pursuing a strategy to convince presidential electors across the country to unite behind an alternative candidate to Trump.

Daniel’s ruling rejected an effort by Polly Baca and Robert Nemanich — two Democratic electors in Colorado — to immediately prevent the enforcement of a state law that forces them to cast their electoral votes for Hillary Clinton when the Electoral College meets next week. Baca and Nemanich hoped that a favorable ruling would undermine similar statutes in 28 other states, including 14 where Trump won.

The attorney for the electors, Jason Wesoky, has signaled to the court that he'll still pursue litigation in the matter.

Hamilton Electors, a group of nine Democratic Electoral College members and one Republican, has been working to convince at least 37 Republican electors to join them in rejecting Trump. One of their greatest impediments is the existence of 29 state laws that purport to force electors to support the winner of their statewide popular vote.

The anti-Trump electors and their allies argue that those laws are unconstitutional because the Electoral College was intended by the country’s Founding Fathers to be a deliberative body that could exercise free judgment.

Micheal Baca, a third Colorado elector who supported his colleagues’ lawsuit, said he still intends to vote against Clinton when the Electoral College meets Monday.

“I thoroughly intend to accept all consequences because I will not be voting for Hillary Clinton or Tim Kaine on Dec. 19,” he said.

Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, a Republican, hailed the ruling.

"I am pleased that Judge Daniel prevented the irreparable harm to Colorado voters of taking away their right to vote," he said.

Williams has petitioned a state court seeking guidance on how to handle electors who violate state law despite Daniel’s ruling. That matter is set to be heard Tuesday.

Two lawsuits similar to the one rejected Monday are pending in California and Washington state, where other Democratic electors have launched the same strategy.

The entire election cycle was a mess from start to finish and it's just getting messier. Sadly none of this would be happening if the parties had presented decent candidates instead of the awful ones we got.

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